Action
Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and 4(f) Evaluation.
Summary
The Federal Transit Administration and the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) are planning to prepare a Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement (Tier 1 EIS) and 4(f) Evaluation for an approximately 22-mile loop of proposed transit and trail improvements within the City of Atlanta. The Tier 1 EIS will be prepared in accordance with regulations implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), as well as provisions of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), enacted in 2005. The purpose of this Notice of Intent (NOI) is to alert interested parties regarding the plan to prepare the Tier 1 EIS; to provide information on the nature of the proposed project; to invite participation in the Tier 1 EIS process, including comments on the scope of the Tier 1 EIS proposed in this notice; and to announce that public scoping meetings will be conducted. Tiering reflects FTA and MARTA's belief that it is necessary to focus on the actual issues ripe for decision at each level of environmental review (40 CFR 1508.28). It is the intent of this preliminary environmental documentation to determine and environmentally evaluate transit mode and general alignment for both the transit and trails in this corridor.